This study was carried out during the second semester of academic year 2017 - 2018 at the Islamic Azad University of Tehran، North and South branches، aiming at providing a description of the attitudes of English-major students towards the teaching methods in translation courses (TCs).

Evidence Acquisition

A multi-item Likert-scale questionnaire was developed based on the principles applied in the three traditional، complex and modern methods of teaching for collecting research data. Cronbach’s alpha was used for estimating the reliability of the items. Besides، experts’ judgment and item analysis were used for the coverage and relevance of content and construct validity، through which a questionnaire with 32 items was developed. The number of participants was determined based on the margin of error (5%) and 95% confidence level for the population size of 140. Accordingly، the required sample size for the study was calculated at 100. The respondents were randomly selected from the population and were homogenized by the results obtained from the Preliminary English Test (PET). The students were at intermediate level of English proficiency with the mean score of 16.18 and standard deviation of .31.

Results

According to the participants’ viewpoints، although all the methods were common، but modern methods challenged the traditional and complex methods by emphasizing on the necessity of incorporation of the principles for assuring quality and relevance by applying various study resources like e-learning facilities.

Conclusions

It is not possible to consider any of the methods as superior، however، it is necessary to further adapt the principles included in any of the three methods to the local and novel needs. In other words، gaining the viewpoints of learners as the final recipients of the methods would be helpful for instructors via enabling them to find out how subtle variations in methods might lead learners to various directions depending on their attitudes and the use of e-learning resources، based on which the necessary adaptations are made in the application of methods.

Currently the social networking application Instagram has taken higher priority of usage over many other such social networking applications.

Objectives

In the present study، an attempt was made to determine the relationship between Instagram addiction and sleep quality of students pursuing a speech and hearing course.

Methods

The present study adopted a correlational research design. The sample consisted of 110 students، comprised of 18 male and 92 female students aged between 17 and 25 years old from Mysuru city. Students pursuing a speech and hearing course completed the test for Instagram addiction (TIA) developed by D’Souza، Samyukta and Bivera، and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) during September to November، 2018. Test for Instagram addiction measured addiction by considering six factors، including lack of control، disengagement، escapism، health and interpersonal troubles، excessive use، and obsession. The PSQI measured global sleep quality. Pearson’s correlations were employed to find the relationship between dimensions of Instagram addiction and sleep quality. Stepwise multiple regression was employed to find the major predictors of sleep quality by factors of Instagram addiction.

Results

The results revealed that among students pursuing speech and hearing selected for the study، only 0.9% were definitely addicts and 14.5% were ‘addicts prone’. The majority of the selected sample (60.9%) had healthy sleep quality. As addiction to Instagram increased، sleep quality of dental students decreased linearly and significantly (r = 0.536). ‘Escapism’ (29.8%) and ‘disengagement’ (2.5%) factors of test for Instagram addiction were found to be the major predictor (32.3%) of sleep quality.

Conclusions

It was concluded that Instagram addiction affects sleep quality negatively.

Identification and Evaluation of the Features of the Epistemology of the MOOC (Open and Online)Akbar Jadidi Mohammadabadi *,Mohammad Reza Sarmadi ,Mehran Farajolahi ,Hossin ZarePage 3Abstract Full Text [PDF 111KB]

Background

The purpose of this study is to analyze and evaluate epistemological characteristics of online and open MOOC courses in higher education.

Methods

This study was designed as an embedded mixed model research to provide a better understanding of the research problem. Throughout this research، both heuristic inquiry method and the questionnaire method were applied to obtain and analyze the data. At the primary stage، epistemology features of online and open MOOC course were identified. Content analysis method was used for qualitative data، and for quantitative data، both weighted mean and Friedman test were used. The statistical population in the qualitative section of the study includes the electronic resources related to the research subject and، in the quantitative section، 60 distance education experts in the field of planning in virtual learning environments and virtual universities، so that 36 of these experts were voluntarily selected as the study sample.

Results

Content analysis results showed 4 dimensions and 23 criteria. The evaluation results of the experts also showed that interacting with the global network، the ease of online interactions with learners and other organizations، and the possibility of receiving electronical assignments or workbooks during the course، are regarded as the most important epistemological characteristics of online MOOC courses; learning facilities for both genders، quick access to the digital libraries and databases، the ease of sharing knowledge with other participants through emails، chats، forums، etc. are the most important epistemological features of MOOC open courses.

Conclusions

Providing epistemological features of online and open course، understanding how to hold these courses، understanding and getting information about organizations، professors and learners، knowing how to register and participate in classes as well as getting information on the online and open of classes.

Keywords: MOOC, Epistemology, Analysis, Online, Open Courses

The Role of Social Factors in Students? Entry to Open and Distance Universities of IranAbbas Shayestehfar *,Mehran Farajollahi ,Bahman SaiedipourPage 4Abstract Full Text [PDF 97KB]

Background

Higher education has a great influence on the growth and development of societies. Several social factors depend on public demand for higher education.

Objectives

The purpose of this research is to identify the most important social factors affecting the registration of students at Payam-e-Noor University (PNU).

Methods

Two methods were used in order to achieve the research goal. In the first part، an analytical documentary method was used to extract the indicators. In the second part، the least squares regression model، was used for data Undergraduate students were studied at PNU in 2001 - 2014.

Results

The results of the research showed that the total population of the country (0.146; P = 0.048) and the high education budget (0.294، P = 0.075) had a positive and significant effect on enrollment at PNU. Total state budget (-0.016، P = 0.582) and the number of secondary school students (-4.241، P = 0.329) had a negative impact on student entrance to PNU.

Conclusions

Total state population and higher education budget had a considerable impact on the student population in PNU.

Wikis are web-based tools and educational technologies that enable students and educators to access general and professional information and knowledge at the national and international levels.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting acceptance and use of educational wikis by post-graduate students of University of Tabriz using Technology Acceptance Model 3 (TAM3).

Methods

This correlational study was conducted among 285 post-graduate students of University of Tabriz، who were selected through the random stratified sampling method during 2018 - 2019 academic year. For data collection، a researcher-made questionnaire with 32 items rated based on a 5-point Likert scale was used. Also، for data analysis، structural equation modeling (SEM) via smart PLS 3 and partial least squares (PLS) were used.

In order to provide a more effective teaching-learning environment in higher education، the use of new technological tools such as educational wikis is necessary for university students in Iran to perform classroom activities.

The most important goal of educational systems is to increase learners' learning and improve their quality، especially in the field of health due to direct relation with people's lives. Use of active teaching methods such as flipped classrooms and conceptual map are suggested for increasing communication skills، participation، creativity، and critical thinking of students. On the other hand، deliberate practice is an active study method that leads to informed learning and deep understanding of the content.

Objectives

In order to cultivate and develop learning skill، the present study is aimed at comparing the effect of teaching through flipped classroom and conceptual map on deliberate practice study approach in students of operating room technology and anesthesiology in 2017.

Methods

It was a quasi-experimental study with the aim of comparing flipped classroom and conceptual map on deliberate practice study approach of undergraduate students of operating room technology and anesthesiology in the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery in Saveh University of Medical Sciences. In this method، sampling was not used and all the population entered the study. Sixty students randomly divided into two groups of flipped classroom and conceptual map. Duvivier deliberate practice study approach questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (t-test، paired t-test) by SPSS 21 software.

Results

There was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test means of the students in two groups (P > 0.001). Comparison of pre-test and post-test means of deliberate practice study approach and its components between the flipped classroom and conceptual map showed a significant difference (P < 0.001). Also، the greatest difference between flipped classroom and conceptual map is related to the planning (P < 0.001) and study style or self-reflective (P = 0.004) variables.

Conclusions

Considering that conceptual mapping and flipped classrooms influenced students' deliberate practice study approach، it is possible to plan for the use of these two methods in medical and paramedical students' education system.

Investigating the Factors Affecting the Intention to Use E-Learning from the Viewpoint of Higher Education StudentsFatemeh Makkizadeh *,Alireza AfshaniPage 7Abstract Full Text [PDF 798KB]

Background

E-learning has been considered one of the outstanding applications of information and communication technologies during the past years.

Objectives

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting the intention of academic individuals to use e-learning with an emphasis on the flow theory.

Methods

This is a descriptive and applied piece of research. The study population included 112 e-learning students in the Virtual Faculty of the Isfahan University، Iran. A conceptual model was presented for the research. Liao’s questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire contained 25 items about several factors، including challenge (4 indices)، skill (4 indices)، interaction (3 indices)، intermediate variable (4 indices)، three dependent variables of exploratory use (4 indices)، intention to use (3 indices)، and time distortion (2 indices). Each item was answered on the basis of a 5-point Likert scale، from completely disagree (with score 1) to completely agree (with score 5). Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.87 confirmed the reliability of the questionnaire. The descriptive data were analyzed and Pearson test and covariance analysis were conducted by the SPSS software programs version 23 and AMOS version 24.

Results

The findings revealed that skill، challenge، and interactivity have a positive relationship with flow experience which، in turn، is positively related to the intention to use، exploratory use، and time distortion.

Conclusions

The finding of this study is the serious and effective behavior of the users، which can be considered a variable of gaining flow experience in e-learning. It is an important aspect by which the users decide to reuse the system in an exploratory manner with no sense of track of time.

The neuroprotective interventions are necessary for developing the brain of premature neonates. Neonatal nurses require continuing education about this subject and nowadays distance education is a possibility.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the impact of web-based teaching on knowledge، attitude، and practice of nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Methods

This quasi-experimental pre- and post-intervention study with a control group was conducted in 2018. A total number of 70 nurses from selected hospitals affiliated to the Iran University of Medical Sciences were assessed for their knowledge، attitude، and practice in seven neuroprotective core measures prior to the intervention. A four-week standardized training package was implemented in these hospitals through virtual classroom approach. After six weeks of post-intervention، all nurses who attended the virtual training were assessed for the same competencies using the WEE care assessment tool. The reliability of the tool was estimated by calculating the internal consistency of items (α = 0.95). The t test and repeated measures ANOVA were conducted to analyze the data using SPSS V. 16 software.

Results

The findings indicated that the mean score of knowledge significantly increased (P < 0.001) in the web-based education group (21.97 ± 5.64) compared to the control group (13.94 ± 4.7). However، there was no significant difference between the two groups in the mean scores of attitude and practice.

Conclusions

Web-based teaching was found to be effective in improving the knowledge of nurses; however، the results suggest that virtual teaching methods need to be developed to affect the attitude and practice of neonatal nurses.